Sunday, September 8, 2013

Is Jan Dupal a sorceress?

Originally posted: July 31, 2013 at 10:09am

In 1975 my family moved from the mountain that is Pavee Road to
Mongiraud, Gros Islet. At that time moving to that area was akin to
moving to the Australian outback or the Amazon. Bus service was
practically a daytime event , and if you were unfortunate enough to be
stuck in town (Castries) after 7 pm, you were on your own. Leaving the
city after 7 pm required you to head over to the corner of Jeremie and
Peynier streets next to the cabaret to 'hike' a ride up north. To those
who don't recall the cabaret I speak about was located where the current craft market resides. The Rodney Bay/Reduit/Bonne
Terre, uh-feh the Gros Islet area was a wilderness at best. Bonne Terre
was sparsely populated with only a few houses hidden from sight in the
kuhpesh. From Volney's Gas Station to the Gros Islet gap all that met
the eye was flatland and cows. That's right, bef tout patous. There were
the two 'A' frame houses opposite the Bonne Terre gap and the three
demo Canadian houses, on the left, just before the Rodney Gap to Baywalk
Mall. It was a time when there was no 'Gros Islet Friday Night' (for
real!). Living any further into Beausejour than the Blue Lagoon Guest
House was considered an act of madness as that area was a mosquito
infested swampland. You could not pay people to move in there. Now it's
some of the most sought after real estate in St. Lucia. With all of its
remote charm Gros Islet was considered by many to be a haven for the
black arts. That's right people, Gros Islet was overrun by majie nweh,
jean gazhet, la diabless, and obeah. Monchy particularly was black magic
central. You dare not be walking on any road in that vicinity late at
night and not be smoking a cigarette. And don't forget to wear your
shirt inside out (wrong side). Coffins blocking the paths of unfortunate
late night travelers was a common story. And boloms! Haaaaaaaaa boy!
You better be wearing your underwear inside out too.

Anyway, so much for the brief history lesson about the north.

Somewhere along the way Janice Dupal moved up north (as we say in St.
Lucia). According to a conversation I had with her yesterday she
intimated that it was always her dream as a girl to become involved in
fashion and entertainment. You see, Janice and I go waaay back and can
rap about random stuff like that. Don't ask, don't tell. Our
conversation sprung up because I wanted to know how she was able to make
the just concluded Miss Gros Islet Beauty Pageant such a success.

To
be absolutely honest I had not been interested in attending that show.
It was only because of a friend who would not have been present that I
was asked to take photos so they could experience for themself the
excitement of that night. Imagine I didn't even get a free ticket to
work like a buick. I arrived late and missed the swimsuit segment
because I had been covering another extravaganza that day; the UWP
Convention in Marigot. I will forever blame them for that. Of course I
had to sweeten up before I left for the show, so that took up more of
the ever important swimsuit segment.. Damn!

To be quite
honest (didn't want to say Frank because my name is not Frank) I was
pleasantly surprised with the quality of the show. Everything flowed
like clockwork. Many times I asked myself whether I was truly still in
St. Lucia. The performances were world class. The contestants, the
organization, the everything. My gosh! How was this possible? The
dresses were out of this world. The crowd was wonderful. And all that
after I missed the swimsuits! Can you even imagine what my state would
have been had I witnessed, first hand, with a zoom lens, the the the
the....well you know, the swimsuits!

Janice attributes
the success of the show to the cooperation of the contestants, the
chaperones, and a strict adherence to a properly scripted performance.
She is the chairperson and pageant coordinator of the Gros Islet
Cultural Development Committee. She also lauds the assistance of her
daughter, Consuelo Dupal, who is also the Chief Chaperone and handles
the public relations.

Which now brings me to the big
question, how is it that the National Carnival Queen Show has not been
able to have such a success for so many years? In fact as far as most
St. Lucians are concerned, from time immemorial! Maybe they should take a
page or two, or three, from Janice and the folks at Gros Islet. As far
as I am concerned The National Carnival Queen Show should be dropped
over the Sans Souci Bridge with a brick tied around it's neck just like
so many unwanted pets which met their untimely demise over the years in
St Lucia. It's time to start all anew with a new pet.

After
so many years of bad vibes with Queen Show are we to take Janice at her
word that the success of the Gros Islet show was simply because of
'cooperation'? Mere mortals had failed so miserably through the years,
are we to now believe that things had somehow turned in the north?

It
is said that those into black magic and bagaille demoo have a special
look in their eyes. Next time you meet Jan Dupal look into her eyes,
really deep! But make sure your underwear are on wrong side. Just in
case.